Purposeful Life: Family Training Series

If you’d like to receive our newsletter please email Aimee Day at aday@tamu.edu.

The Center on Disability and Development, Families of Autistic Children Engaged Together for Support (FACETS), Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living (BVCIL), College Station ISD and Bryan ISD are hosting a free workshop series for parents and family members of children with disabilities. We are back to holding live events at Central Church. We provide dinner, childcare for children ages 2 and up, and youth training for children with a disability ages 11 and up. Spanish translation is available upon request.

Purposeful Life Family Training series begins in October and ends in May. We will meet on the first Thursday of the month (except in January.) Many thanks to Central Church for supporting our program and PATHS & P.S.U.N for providing childcare.

We will be limiting the live event to 50 adults. No onsite registration for childcare or youth training will be available. Adults who do not pre-register are not included in the meal count.

Next Session: November 7, 2024

Topic: I Can Do That!

Learn when and how to step back when teaching independent living skills. It starts with the littles and goes all the way into adulthood.

2024 Session Topics

December 2024 English

December 2024 Spanish

October 2024 English

October 2024 Spanish

February 3, 2022

Disability Benefits: What Are They and What Do They Mean For My Child?

Medicaid, Medicard Waivers, SSI… what are they? When and Who can apply for these service? Join us to learn more from our panel of experts about disability benefits.

Shared Links

Satisfaction Survey

Success Conference Information

Social Security

Vocational Rehabilitation Information

March 3, 2022

Building a Parachute of Supports so Your child Lands Safely in Adulthood

Don’t let not knowing what supports are available for your child’s parachute be the gravity that limits their potential. Come join us to learn about our local supports and about an opportunity on how to meet them in person. Spanish translation is available.

Learn more

April 7, 2022

Wanting Something Isn’t Enough: Creating Motivation for Life’s Needs

Creating motivation to stay healthy requires looking at the whole person and their five domains of health: physical, emotional, cognitive, social, & spiritual.

Fiona Allen, from Avocation Therapy, will discuss local resources to support recreation and leisure activities in the various domains so people with disabilities can meaningfully access & contribute to their greater community. Spanish translation is available.

September 1, 2022

Destination Behavior Change: Using a BIP as a Roadmap

Learn about Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) and how they are a support system, not punishments, that can be used across many environments.

Speaker: Kathryn Crawford, LSSP

October 6, 2022

Understanding Evaluations and Their Role in Education

November 3, 2022

ARD Collaboration

Learn about Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) and how they are a support system, not punishments, that can be used across many environments.

2021 Session Topics

October 7, 2021

Guardianships and Alternatives to Guardianships

Speaker: Jeffrey Miller, Policy Specialist from Disability Rights TX

Guardianship…what is it? Does every parent need to apply for guardianship before their child turns 18? How does a full guardianship affect your child’s independence and self-determination? What alternatives are available in Texas? Join us to learn more!

November 4th, 2021

Challenges, Changes and Choices: Helping My Child Deal With the Unexpected

Speaker: Lucinda Thelen, M.Ed., CAPE.

The topic is “Challenges, Changes and Choices: Helping My Child Deal With the Unexpected.” Think about the last year…everything has changed. While we slowly get back to a new normal, the past still affects our kids. Join us during this session to learn what signs to look for and actions to take to help your child cope with changes and what the future may bring. Spanish translation available.

Decembr 2, 2021

Plan Ahead: What are Some Options after High School?

2019 – 2020 Session Topics

This season we will be incorporating tools from Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC) into each session.

September 5, 2019

What’s Your Child’s Vision of a Good Life?

Life Trajectory – CtLC

Experiences Booklet – CtLC

Life Domains Vision Tool – CtLC

October 3, 2019

The Empty Chair…Who is Missing from the ARD Table

My Book About Me

My School Portfolio – CtLC

November 7, 2019

IEPs – Making Them Count! Making the Most of your Child’s Time in School

December 5, 2019

Are you Teaching or Doing? Creating Independence

February 6, 2020

Behavior – What to do if Your Child is in a Crisis

March 5, 2020

Paving the Road for a Smoother Future – Getting Plugged into Your Community

2018 – 2019 Session Topics

September 6, 2018

Friendships: Making and Keeping Friends

October 4, 2018

The Road to Independence

19 Ways for a Parent to Step Back

Critical Skills for Independence

November 1, 2018

You or Google? Who Will Teach Your Child About Puberty

Autism Speaks Puberty Tool Kit

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Healthy Bodies for Girls

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Healthy Bodies for Girls Appendix

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Healthy Bodies for Boys

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s Healthy Bodies for Boys Appendix

Parent’s Guide to Protecting Against Sexual Abuse

Sexuality and Down Syndrome

Sexuality and Disability

Puberty and Children on the Autism Spectrum

Talking to Your Child About Sexuality

February 7, 2019

What and How Will They Learn? IEP Goals Lead the Way

March 7, 2019

Love is Friendship on Fire – How Will You Teach Your Child to Stay Safe in the Flames?

April 4, 2019

Working Together to Make Behavioral Changes – Behavior Intervention Plans

May 2, 2019

Safety is no Accident – Teaching Safe Actions at Home and in the Community

2018 Summer Sessions

May 29, 2018

Is my Child Ready for Camp?

July 5, 2018

TX ABLE Account

Presentation Slides

ABLE Act and Trust Options Report

August 11, 2018

Adverse Childhood Experiences

2017-2018 Session Topics

September 7, 2017

Everyone has differences, mine just has a name – Talking to your child about his/her disability

October 5, 2017

Why punishing your child may not be working

Learn to change behavior with positive behavior supports (reference above materials)

November 2, 2017

You can get results (but they might not be for the best)

Collaboration With Schools (reference above materials)

December 7, 2017

Your unexpected journey – including the recurring grief of parenting a child with a disability

February 1, 2018

I’m not fine – Supporting the emotional needs of children with disabilities

Learn more

March 1, 2018

Phones and computers – how safe are your children?

April 5, 2018

“No means No” – Teaching your child to accept your “no”

May 3, 2018

We’re all in this family – Supporting siblings

2016-2017 Session Topics

January 7, 2016

How Can I Help My Child Have a More Purposeful Life?

Moving Toward Independent Living

February 4, 2016

Person-Centered Thinking Training for Families

Download the Satisfaction Survey

March 3, 2016

ARD Meetings: An Opportunity for Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy

April 7, 2016

Understanding your Child’s Behavior

May 5, 2016

Life After High School…Planning Starts Now!

September 1, 2016

“Looking Ahead” – Series Overview & Speaker Panel

October 6, 2016

“Who is the I in IEP?” – Review of ARD and IEP

TEA Special Education Dispute Resolution Systems Handbook

November 3, 2016

“Sticks and Stones – Words Do Hurt!” – Bullying

December 1, 2016

“You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup” – Family Wellness

February 2, 2017

“My Kid’s Going To Be A Grown Up?” – Independence (MS/HS session)

I Can Do That! Independence (birth-elementary school session)

March 2, 2017

“Surviving Puberty – This Time As a Parent” – Adolescence and Puberty

Puberty Checklist